The Coventry Local Schools Board of Education presented certificates of achievement to the district’s Star Students for the month of December at the Dec. 17 meeting. The students recognized, shown from left above, include: (back row) Coventry High School senior Benjamin Sewell and Coventry Junior High School eighth-grader Sophia Pegley; and (front row) Erwine Middle School fifth-grader Morgan Morrisey and Turkeyfoot Elementary School second-grader Allison Borcoman.

Photo courtesy of Coventry Schools

COVENTRY — The make-up of the Portage Lakes Career Center (PLCC) Board is getting made over, but Coventry Local Schools Board of Education members do not approve of the change.

Currently, two Coventry Local Schools Board of Education members, David Andrews and Tom Thompson, serve on the PLCC Board to ensure decisions being made are beneficial to the students of the district and the community as a whole. The other PLCC Board members currently are school board members from Green Local Schools, Manchester Local Schools and Springfield Local Schools.

However, Coventry Board President Andrews explained at the Dec. 17 meeting Coventry and the other school districts no longer will have their own board members on the PLCC Board in accordance with House Bill 59.

PLCC Board of Education members now will be required to be selected based on the diversity of the employers from the geographical region, he has said.

The new legal requirements do allow the Coventry Local Schools Board to appoint three members, each to a three-year term, to the PLCC Board.

Therefore, Coventry Local Schools now is accepting résumés from professionals interested in serving on the PLCC Board.

According to district officials, PLCC Board members must possess certain qualifications before serving on the board. They include:

have experience as chief financial officers, chief executive officers, human resources managers or other business, industry or career counseling professionals;

be qualified to discuss the labor needs of the region with respect to the regional economy; and

represent employers in the region served by the PLCC who are qualified to consider the state’s work force needs with an understanding of the skills, training and education needed for current and future employment opportunities in the state. Those interested in applying for the PLCC Board should submit a résumé and cover letter to: Coventry Local School District; attention Tina Gable, 2910 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44319.

Board member Robert Wohlgamuth said résumés must be submitted by Dec. 27. He said the board will meet Dec. 30 to review the applications and appoint three individuals shortly after Jan. 1.

Also during the meeting, the board agreed to revise the hours and job description for a financial assistant working in the office of Treasurer Aaron Butts to better meet current and new state mandates.

Butts explained the Affordable Care Act is requiring additional and more in-depth documentation of all the district employees’ hours. He added additional reports also will have to accompany payroll in 2014.

The board additionally recognized board member Tom Thompson for his service. Thompson lost re-election to his seat this past November. He was appointed to the board about six months ago, when a seat was vacated by Tina Gable, who accepted a position in the superintendent’s office.

Superintendent Russell Chaboudy said Thompson has a “big heart” and thanked him for all he has done for the district, including painting the Portage Lakes Fitness Center free of charge and preparing chili for the annual chili luncheon.

Thompson said he will continue to help wherever he is needed.

“You met everything a board member needs to be. You have been here, and the decisions you made were driven by what is best for the kids,” Andrews told Thompson.

Also during the meeting, the board honored the district’s star students for December: senior Benjamin Sewell, eighth-grader Sophia Pegley, fifth-grader Morgan Morrisey and second-grader Allison Borcoman.

The board also approved modifications to the fiscal year budget needed to be released by the state from fiscal watch, Butts explained.

At the close of the meeting, the board met in executive session to discuss the purchase or sale of property for public purposes, with no action taken.

The next regular board meeting and the 2014 organizational meeting will take place Jan. 13 at 5:45 p.m. at the Lakeview Administrative Offices, located at 2910 S. Main St.